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A. J. LOEPSINGER. AUTOMATlC SPRINKLER SYSTEM. APPLlcAloN FILED AuG,2s.|915.

l ,35,9 1.2. Patented June 3, 1919.

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ALBERT J'. LOEPSIN GER, OF EDGEWOOD, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALFIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Application filed August 26, 1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. LonPsrNeER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Edgewood, in the county of Providence and State ofRhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Sprinkler Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic sprinkler systems of that type inwhich a gravity tank is employed for supplying water to the sprinklerpipes, the object of my invention being to provide a system of thischaracter which can be utilized either as a wet pipe system or as a drypipe system without requiring a dry pipe valve to be employed in thelatter case for the purpose of keeping the water out of the sprinklerpipes under normal conditions. I accomplish this object in the mannerhereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawing, whichillustrate only such parts of the system as are needed for the purposeof explaining my invention and in which:

Figure 1 shows a portion of the sprinkler pipe system in elevation andthe gravity tank in central longitudinal section; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing in detail a check valve hereinaferdescribed.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing the sprinkler pipe system is represented by avertical supply pipe 9., a branch pipe o leading therefrom l and asprinkler headlmounted on the pipe 8 in the usual manner. The gravitytank 5, which in this case is a closed tank, is connected to the supplypipe 2 by means of a siphon of which said supply pipe constitutes thelong leg, the upper end of the pipe 2 being` connected by a bend 6 tothe short leg 7 of the siphon, which passes through the top of the tank5 and terminates near the bottom of the latter, where its open lower endis preferably provided with a strainer 8. 9 indicates a supplementarypipe which `also enters the top of the tank 5 and contains at 10 anormally-closed check valve arranged to open toward the tank. This pipe9 serves as an air admission pipe as hereinafter eX- plained and mayalso be used for supplying the tank with water or other fireextinguishing liquid.

As thus constructed and arranged the system can be used as a wet pipesystem by completely or partially filling the tank 5 with water and alsocompletely filling the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

serial No. 116,962.

sprinkler pipe system, including the siphon. When the system is in thiscondition and a sprinkler head opens water will be discharged in theusual way, the water supply being taken from the tank 5 by siphonicaction under a head measured by the elevation of the top surface of theliquid in the tank above the point at which the open sprinkler head islocated. When it is desired to utilize the system as a dry pipe system,however, the tank is only partially filled with water, leaving an airspace above the water within the tank as shown in Fig. 1, and thesprinkler pipe system including the bend 6 is left empty of water,whereupon a balanced air pressure is established in the sprinkler pipesystem and in the air space above the water in the tank, the pressurethus established being suliicient when unbalanced to cause the water torise in the short leg of the siphon to the top of the bend 6.Consequently when a sprinkler. head opens the air pressure in thesprinkler pipe system is relieved and the unbalanced air pressure in thetop of the tank causes water to rise in they short leg of the siphon andpass into the upper portion of the supply pipe 2, thus starting thesiphonic action, whereupon the water is drawn from the tank in themanner already explained. The pipe 9 acts in either case to admit airwhenever there is any tendency to create a vacuum in the space above thewater in the tank, while the check valve 10 serves, in case air pressureis initially established in the top of the tank, to prevent suchpressure from being lost through the pipe 9. This pipe will beunnecessary, however, in case the compressed air introduced into the topof the tank is sufficient to fill the latter without having its pressurereduced by expansion below the normal atmospheric pressure.

The means employed for establishing the balanced air pressures in thesprinkler pipe system and in the top of the tank 5 are l represented inFig. 1 as consisting of an air supply pipe 11 leading into the pipe 2and controlled by a hand valve 12, and a by-pass pipe 13 leading fromthe pipe 2 to the top of the tank 5 and containing a check valve 14which opens toward the tank. This check valve permits the compressed airto pass readily through the pipe 11 into the top of the tank while thesystem is being charged but prevents it .from passing through said pipein the opposite direction when the air pressure in the sprinkler pipesystem is reduced by the opening of a sprinkler head, sothat theunbalanced air pressure in the top of the tank then becomes effective asabove described.

The system can be charged with compressed air even if no by-pass pipe 13is employed, by merely forcing air into the pipe 2, since in such casethe air will displace the water in the leg 7 and pass into the tankuntil the air pressure in the latter balances that in the sprinkler pipesystem except to an extent represented by the height of the water levelin the tank above the bottom of the leg 7. The employment of a by-passpipe is desirable, however, not konly because it facilitates thecharging of the system with the compressed air but also because itenables provision to be made for permitting` a slight flow of air fromthe top of the tank to the'sprinkler pipe systo compensate for anyleakage which may occur in the system, thus keeping the air pressuresexactly balanced under normal conditions. This may be done by means of aperforation 15, shown as formed in the check valve 14, which is so smallthat it is incapable of equalizing the pressures in case a sprinklerhead opens. evident that this perforation need not necessarily be formedin the check valve and also that the check valve itself is notessential., since the air pressure in the top of the tank can beestablished through a small Vperforation or other restricted passagelocated or included in the by-pass pipe if the air is forced slowly intothe system, or in part through such a perforation or passage and in partthrough the lower end of the leg 7.

l claim: Y

1. An automatic sprinkler system comprising a closed gravity tank, asprinkler pipe system including a supply pipe, a siphon connecting theupper portion of the supply pipe with said tank and having its short legterminating below the normal level of the liquid therein, and means foradmitting air to the top of the tank.

2. An automatic sprinkler system comprising a closed gravity tank, .asprinkler pipe system including a supply pipe, a siphon connecting theupper portion of the supply pipe with said tank and having vit-s shortleg terminating below .the norm-al level of the liquid therein, andmeans for It will be establishing balanced air pressures in thesprinkler pipe system and in the top of the tank.

3. An automatic sprinkler system comprising a closed gravity tank, asprinkler pipe system including a supply pipe, a siphon connecting theupper portion of the supply pipe with said tank and having its short legterminating below the normal level of the liquid therein, and asupplementary pipe entering the top of the tank and containing a checkvalve arranged to open toward said tank. e Y

4. An automatic sprinkler system comprising a closed gravity tank, asprinkler pipe system including a supply pipe, a. siphon connecting theupper portion of the supply pipe with said tank and having its short legterminating below the normal level of the liquid therein, a by-pass pipeleading from the supply pipe to the tank above the normal level of theliquid therein, means for preventing free iiow of air from the tankthrough the by-pass pipe, and means for admitting compressed air to thesprinkler pipe system.

5. An automatic sprinkler system comprising a closed gravity tank, asprinkler pipe system including a supply pipe, a siphon connecting theupper portion of the supply pipe with said tank and having its short legterminating below the normal level of the liquid therein, a by-pass pipeleading from the supply pipe to the tank above the normal level of theliquid thereinl and containing a check valve arranged to open toward thetank, and means for admitting `compressed air to the sprinkler pipesystem. Y L 6. An automatic sprinkler system comprising a closed gravitytank, a sprinkler pipe system including a supply pipe, a siphonconnecting the upper portion of the supply pipe with Asaid tank andhaving its short leg terminating below the normal level of the liquidtherein, a by-pass pipe leading from the supply pipe to the tank abovethe normal level of the liquid therein and containing a check valvearranged to .open toward the tank and a restricted pressure-equalizingpassage, and means for admitting compressed vair to the sprinkler pipesystem.

Signed at Boston, Mass., of August, 1916..

ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER.

this 2era day Copies f this patent may be obtained. for ive cents each,by `addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ZD. G.

